Erode man sentenced to 20 years for sexually assaulting minor

A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor girl. The ruling was made by the Fast Track Mahila Court in Erode on March 20, 2025. The case dates back to 2021, when the 16-year-old girl was taking online classes during the COVID-19 lockdown. The man, identified as R. Harish, befriended the girl online. When her mother learned about their friendship, she warned her daughter to stop communicating with him. On April 22, 2021, the girl told her grandmother she was going to the bank for a scholarship inquiry. She took ₹500 with her but never returned home. Her mother reported her missing to the police. Three days later, police traced the girl's phone to a location in Omalur, leading them to Harish. They rescued the girl, revealing that Harish had kidnapped and assaulted her. Harish was initially arrested and held at Coimbatore Central Prison, but he was later released on bail. Following the trial, Judge C. Sornakumar sentenced him to 20 years for sexual assault and five years for kidnapping. The sentences will run at the same time, and he was ordered to pay fines totaling ₹6,000. He is back in custody at Coimbatore Central Prison.